Best vehicle for hauling a kayak?

[Baja_Traveler]

Up, Down, Left, Right, Dead up the Center - it's all worked for me fine since 2001. 335,000 miles and day after tomorrow heading back down to San Ignacio Lagoon again. Yes - it's a diesel. Whatever you get - get the 8 foot bed and with the tailgate down my PA14 (or My Solo Skiff) only over hangs three and a half feet, so no further contraptions required other than a red flag.

[MITCHELL]

Long bed tailgate down.....

[ProfessorLongArms]

First up, thanks for the input and the snark
Kind of a simplistic thread, but I appreciate the ideas.

Originally Posted by ful-rac

You have a snug top, type cover correct? If so take it off and put a rack on it. Sounds like you already have a great vehicle for hauling your kayak around.

With that said, a newer 4 runner would be nice...

Yeah... on that one, I like being able to load up my truck and lock it the night before since I'm in the truck at 4am trying not to wake the wife. Been playing with a few ideas on rod storage (though I could just leave them in the house and carry them out the door with me)

Originally Posted by YakDout

Im confused. You’re currently driving a Tacoma but you are looking at Tacoma’s? Are you simply looking for a 4 wheel drive vehicle? If you like the Tacoma’s, Ditch your two wheel drive truck and buy a 4x4 Tacoma. Great baja vehicle.

Yeah this is probably where I'm headed. I've put 60k miles on this tacoma and it's damn near bulletproof.

Originally Posted by monstahfish

I'd caution against the xterra for roof height alone. I had one for a few years and it did everything I ever asked of it, but getting the yak on the roof was a pain. I drive a 2011 4wd ford escape and it's been low maintenance tows small and medium trailers fairly well, has easily roamed the beach at Makoville, even surprised people by how well it did on the sand and taken me into moderately difficult trails in the sierras and east coast. Ground clearance becomes an issue at some point though.

Good to know on the Escape for offroad. I've long been wary of American made cars, but I loved my Mazda version (Tribute) before it was totalled in an accident.

Originally Posted by Denis_Ruso

I have a 4runner myself, and I have to say that anything outside of a pickup truck is not that ideal for hauling a kayak. Overhead lifting a decent ocean kayak comes with challenges. It limits what kind of kayak you can have, you sure as hell aren't putting a PA up there. To top it, lifting overhead you get tons of sand and saltwater all over the car and have to have all kinds of roof rack additions. To top it you're risking dinging the car. Also it's not ideally aerodynamic for long road trips to have kayaks on the roof.

But it's sure damn nice to have all that interior room for stuff, locking things away and even sleeping in when camping.

Pickup truck, a simple T bar and you're good to haul 2 kayaks. No overhead lifting, all the gear can be stored in the bed and keep all the sand as well. Easy to 1 man it.

Also good to know. One thing I noted when looking at 4runners is how far back the roof bars sit because of the sunroof. I don't mind throwing my yak on the roof and I'll likely go no bigger than my Outback.... But I'm young yet You make a good point about Saltwater though... I remember seeing Jim Sammons strongly endorse trailering because there's *no* getting around eventual body rust from throwing a kayak on the roof all the time.

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

Up, Down, Left, Right, Dead up the Center - it's all worked for me fine since 2001. 335,000 miles and day after tomorrow heading back down to San Ignacio Lagoon again. Yes - it's a diesel. Whatever you get - get the 8 foot bed and with the tailgate down my PA14 (or My Solo Skiff) only over hangs three and a half feet, so no further contraptions required other than a red flag.

Yeah.... I might have gotten a bit of drool on your truck down in Baja looking at all of your customization Problem with the current truck is that it sits so low, the bed extender scrubs super easy.

[monstahfish]

Whatever you do, no sun roofs! They will get ruined by salt and sand, then it will leak and ruin the head liner and cause rust and they're a pain to repair. When I bought my car the guy kept trying to give me one with a sun roof after I explained why I didn't want one. I just started walking away, then he listened.

[YakDout]

Originally Posted by ProfessorLongArms

First up, thanks for the input and the snark

Kind of a simplistic thread, but I appreciate the ideas.







Yeah... on that one, I like being able to load up my truck and lock it the night before since I'm in the truck at 4am trying not to wake the wife. Been playing with a few ideas on rod storage (though I could just leave them in the house and carry them out the door with me)







Yeah this is probably where I'm headed. I've put 60k miles on this tacoma and it's damn near bulletproof.







Good to know on the Escape for offroad. I've long been wary of American made cars, but I loved my Mazda version (Tribute) before it was totalled in an accident.







Also good to know. One thing I noted when looking at 4runners is how far back the roof bars sit because of the sunroof. I don't mind throwing my yak on the roof and I'll likely go no bigger than my Outback.... But I'm young yet You make a good point about Saltwater though... I remember seeing Jim Sammons strongly endorse trailering because there's *no* getting around eventual body rust from throwing a kayak on the roof all the time.







Yeah.... I might have gotten a bit of drool on your truck down in Baja looking at all of your customization Problem with the current truck is that it sits so low, the bed extender scrubs super easy.

I like baja travelers style. This is how I roll to baja. Diesel all the way

IMG_4079.JPG

[goldenglory18]

I've had a few "yak haulers" in my day. All topped/roof racked, and they have all worked well enough....

Most Fun: 2011 Jeep Wrangler. That pig could get me ANYWHERE, it was just a shit on the highway. That's what happens when engineers put a minivan drive train in a tin can body.

Cheapest: 2001 Chevy Blazer. Maintained this thing will run forever. Only sold it as I had funds for a newer car

Nicest: 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Current ride and sooooooo comfortable. Almost too nice to use as a yak hauler. The only thing I wished it had is a 4WD, but so far, not needed.

Most Dependable: 2008 Xterra. One of the best vehicles I've ever owned. If it wasnt for the mandatory 100k service that we couldnt afford at the time, I might still have that truck. I echo what was said above, that roof line is WAY up there. That weird stadium seating is comfy inside, but for topping anything its a chore. I needed to use a step stool for that first "handle grab" each time...

Next Yak ride for GG18: Either a current generation 4Runner, or upgrade the Jeep GC to a 2016 w/4WD.

[Heavilyass]

The Wrangler is the most suitable car for me. I'd show it to you now, but it's parked in another area.
I had to part with it for a while because my insurance expired. If I had found out about https://www.moneyexpert.com/car-insurance/family-car-insurance/ earlier, I would have definitely dealt with the issue.
Have you ever had a situation like this happen to you? It's so frustrating because it feels like a part of you has been taken away.
In all seriousness, you should check all documents and change them on time, so you don't have problems with that later on.

[davidpraty]

I cartop my hobie on my 2013 prius. The low roof makes it so much easier than my wifes larger CRV. Can also fit 10ft rods in it no problem and it gets 45mpg.

If youre planning on cartopping it I totally reccomend a lower roof like a wagon or hatchback.